A Trial of Strength

A TRIAL OF STRENGTH - PART 395 By Rob Williams

CHAPTER 395 – "MEN IN UNIFORM PLAY ROUGH"

IN THIS CHAPTER:

The cop Mark and his surfer boy Jamie play rough when roles are reversed. Jamie snarls, "Look at you, man, a muscle-god cop, always the top man giving orders. Well not now, officer, `cos you're tied to the bed buck naked, at the mercy of a horny surfer jock who owns your ass." The Marine Hassan and his boy Eddie join the games. The soldier growls, "OK, kid, your turn now. Let's see what you're made of." _____________________________________________________________________

************ In the previous chapter *************

Jamie's meltdown in the Company's business office still reverberated through the tribe. Burned out by stress, the hot young jock had yelled at and insulted his boss Bob, then accidentally injured him as he shoved him out of the way and stormed out.

The problem was compounded when Jamie's master, the muscular blond cop Mark, had rushed home, confronted Bob, then he too had injured Bob as he rushed out to find Jamie.

Bob then had to confront his angry lover, the rugged gypsy leader of the tribe, furious that Bob had kept him in the dark about what was happening.

The three alpha males, Bob, Randy and Mark, had eventually made their peace with each other in the time-honored sexual way, and it now remained for Mark to deal with his boy Jamie. That had to involve some form of punishment, even though everyone sympathized with Jamie for reacting impulsively under the stress of his job.

But what penance would be appropriate for Jamie that would not involve physical pain? Mark and the tribe's therapist Doctor Steve had come up with a novel idea. Jamie needed a break, a week's vacation, so Mark took him up the coast to their beach shack at the Guadalupe dunes. As they left Steve's house the doctor had said quietly to Mark, "One word of warning, Mark. As you well know, when a man punishes a boy it's often just as hard on the man as on the boy."

Many previous trips up the coast to the dunes had always involved lots of sex between the Greek-God cop and the young surfer hunk, but this time was different. And that was Mark's punishment for Jamie. He withheld all physical contact from Jamie, which tested the endurance of both men against sexual frustration.

They both hid constant erections in their shorts and, when the craving for release reached its limit each man furtively jerked himself off, one time when Jamie was surfing alone, and again when they secretly watched each other asleep at night.

But next morning as Jamie was making coffee something had snapped, much the way it had when he blurted out his raw feelings to Bob about his job. "Sir, I'm done ... I can't do this. I can't be with you, sleep with you, without touching you or making love. It's pretty clear you don't want that, because you've stopped loving me, but I can't be just buddies with you, sir. I love you, worship you, and I ... I need to ... to touch you, sir."

Despite his assertive manner his eyes brimmed with tears. "Sir, I need you so much that I've jerked off secretly watching you twice already, but I can't take any more. So I'm asking you to start my punishment, and then, when you've done whatever you have to with me, let's just go home and call it quits ... please, sir."

This was the strong, assertive Jamie that Mark loved, a forceful young jock standing naked before him, so handsome, so sexy. And Mark couldn't take any more either.

"Jamie ... Jamie ... don't you get it? This was your punishment ... denying you my touch, my arms round you ... my cock in your sweet ass. That was my way of punishing you, buddy. And I gotta tell you, it was as agonizing for me as it was for you. Not love you? How could I ever stop loving you, kiddo? Ever since we left home I've had a hard-on, and I too have twice jacked off and blown my wad looking at you. But it's over, Jamie. Come here ... please come here."

He held out his arms and Jamie fell into them, with the whimper of a lost pup coming home. And the floodgates opened. All the pent-up desire of the last twenty-four hours now found release as they held each other tight, rolling all over the bed and over the floor, while Mark kissed Jamie's face – his cheeks, eyes, and finally his lips, clamping their mouths together, inhaling and exhaling in unison, sharing the same warm air, the same breath of life.

Reconciled at last, their love stronger than ever, they were having breakfast on the porch and Mark said, "This is gonna be the best week of our lives, Jamie, you know that?"

"I'm sure of it," Jamie grinned.

Mark hesitated, then, "Er, Hassan mentioned to me that in a couple of days he has to come up to Vandenberg Air Force Base for meetings on recruit training as he's the Marine Captain in charge of that. It's just few miles down the coast so maybe we could invite him to drop in here when he's done ... but only if you want to. You know Hassan and I have kind of a special relationship, so I understand if you don't want it."

"No, I think it's a great idea," Jamie grinned. "Hey, why don't we tell Hassan to bring his boy Eddie with him? Eddie's always on at me to give him surfing lessons so this would be an ideal time. And if they want time alone there's always Zack's shack just down the beach."

"Good idea, Jamie. And maybe we'll even find a way to stop Eddie talking nonstop."

"Gag him," Jamie chuckled. "He'd enjoy that. Bound and gagged by a cop, a Marine and a hot jock surfer. He'd be in hog heaven."

********************** CHAPTER 395 *********************

It felt so good to be sitting close together on the shaded patio that Mark and Jamie were in no hurry to finish their breakfast and start their morning run on the beach.

They talked some more about their plan to invite the Marine Hassan and his boy Eddie to join them up here in the dunes, then Jamie entertained Mark with sexy stories of the day he had spent with the gymnast Tommy, who had so effectively distracted him from his troubles after his near breakdown at work. And that prompted Mark to put an end to that painful subject.

"Jamie, regarding this past situation, I want to put it all behind us and ..."

"I know what you're going to say, sir, and I agree. I owe you and everyone else involved an apology for my behavior."

"Wait just a minute, here," Mark chuckled, "that isn't what I was gonna say at all. Quite the opposite in fact. I've thought back long and hard about my own part in this and I'm not proud of myself. You're my boy, my man, and I should have noticed the stress you were under. But I was so wrapped up in my cop attitudes – strong, tough, and proud of my buddy for being strong too – that's all I could see in you.

"Even when we went to bed the night before your breakdown I kinda sensed a tension in you but I brushed it off as fatigue. And you were such a great fuck, as always, that's all that mattered. Hell, I even told you I would always be there for you if you had a problem, and I wasn't. By praising your strength I shut the door in your face when you were on the verge of confiding in me. I can't forgive myself for that ..."

Mark choked up and Jamie reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "But like you said, sir, let's put it all behind us. I don't want to go on re-hashing all of this. Bottom line is we love each other, sir."

"Yeah, you're right buddy," Mark smiled through brimming tears. "Won't be easy but I'll try to think of it as water under the bridge. But hey, what about this sir' thing. I thought we agreed you're now my man not my boy anymore. You don't have to call me sir'."

"But what if I want to, sir? I love being loved by a tough cop, and calling you `sir' is the most natural thing in the world – not to mention a huge turn-on," Jamie grinned.

"Yeah, I kind of agree. OK, so even if we're equals I'm still the boss ..." Mark winced ... "if that makes any sense at all."

Jamie laughed. "One of Doctor Steve's sayings is that some things don't have to make sense as long as they feel good. And this feels great ... sir."

"OK, boy," Mark smiled, "so what about this run?" They cleared away breakfast, Mark pulled on his Speedos and Jamie his board shorts and they set off. Once again running along the beach together, splashing through the shallow surf stride for stride, breath for breath, made them feel closer to each other as their feet pounded in unison in the wet sand.

But this was not like yesterday's run, where Jamie was still troubled and Mark was only dimly aware of his stress. Today they were more intimate than ever, having gone through the crucible of doubt, separation, then reconciliation and a reaffirmation of their love. After the shocks they had encountered and survived, a peace descended on them, with the certainty that their love would outlast any obstacles in their path.

They ran in silence, each with a blissful smile on his face, and they had gone just over two miles when another shack came into view. The shack belonged to their buddy Zack, one of the senior men of the tribe, construction boss and hot black leather master. It was understood that when anyone came up to the dunes and stayed in one of the shacks they would always check in on the other to make sure it was in good repair and to give it a good airing.

They slowed down, stopped, and took deep breaths, the surf spray misting around them, two beautiful men alone on the deserted beach, sun beating down on their muscled bodies, seagulls wheeling and screaming overhead at the two intruders to their world.

When they had regained their breath they walked together up to the shack and Mark felt for the ledge under the patio where he knew the key was hidden. "Don't know why we even bother with a key," he grunted. "Anyone wanted to get in this place could break in in about three seconds." When they went in Mark said, "But, looks like nobody broke in. Seems like the same mess Zack and Darius left it in when they were last here."

"Yeah, but a real sexy mess," Jamie grinned. "Crumpled sheets and old underwear on the bed, probably all of it smelling of their sweat and dry cum. He held an old torn tank top to his nose and said, "Yup, that's jizz alright. And look at all this paraphernalia – those leather hunks sure get into some rough stuff." He wandered round the room murmuring, "Look at this – ropes, collars, whips ... man those guys have a wild sex life. They brought their buddy Miguel too. Sure would have like to see that gorgeous muscle-stud at the mercy of two leathermen."

While Jamie was getting off on the visuals and the fantasies they conjured up, Mark was strangely quiet, staring at the bed. Jamie followed his gaze to the head of the bed where wrist restraints were tied by ropes to the bed posts. "Oh yeah," Jamie said, "I see what you see, man, and I can read your thoughts."

"I doubt that, buddy. You're probably seeing yourself tied to the bed with a naked cop getting ready to fuck your ass."

"Something along those lines, sir."

"But my mind was running along a different, parallel track."

Since their talk earlier Mark had been looking for a way to restore Jamie's confidence in his own masculinity after his so-called `weakness' had been on view to the tribe and caused so much trouble. And now he had the perfect means of bringing out the alpha top-man in the young jock.

Jamie was stunned when Mark suddenly fell on his back on the bed and stretched his arms up to the corner bedposts and said, "Think you're up to it, man?"

There he lay, naked except for his dark blue Speedos, arms and legs spread-eagled as if at the mercy of the muscular young surfer. All of Jamie's dominant senior-boy impulses came alive and he knew what he had to do. He knelt astride the near-naked cop, straddling his waist, then leaned forward and quickly buckled the restraints round Mark's wrists and pulled the ropes tight.

Reflexively Mark looked up at his bound wrists and tugged on the ropes, making his shoulders and arms flex with the token effort at escape. Jamie saw, hanging over the headboard, a black leather collar, which he took down and buckled round Mark's neck. Then he scrambled off the bed and paced round the bed looking down at the rugged cop, bound and helpless, with a huge bulge in his Speedos, the tip of his swelling cock poking above the waistband.

Knowing exactly what excited Jamie Mark struggled to get free, his muscular body writhing on the bed, arms stretched, biceps bulging, the wide black collar round his sinewy neck. Jamie salivated. "Man, that looks fucking awesome, so damn beautiful."

"So, you've got me where you want me, man. What you gonna do to me?"

"Hmm, a muscle-god cop, always the top man, giving orders, being obeyed. Now the tables are turned, the cop's tied up in a remote shack on the beach, at the mercy of a hot jock surfer. Let's see here."

He looked at the equipment on the wall and chose a cat-o'-nine-tails, a whip with a dozen braids of rawhide. He raised his arm and let the rawhide fall lightly across the cop's chest, then started to whip him gently, ritualistically, just enough to make him wince once or twice. Then he laid the whip across his chest, the braids splayed out across the slabs of his pecs.

Jamie stood back and gazed down in awe at the blond cop tied to the bed, spread-eagled, humiliated by the slave collar round his neck, the whip lying threateningly across his chest.

"Holy shit," Jamie sighed, "That's just about the hottest thing I've ever seen. Maybe I'll leave you here, all alone in this remote shack, the whip on your chest, your mind tortured by visions of what's gonna happen to you.

"And maybe someone does break into the shack this time – a passing surfer dude looking for money, or at least a beer or two. And to his surprise he sees this gorgeous blond muscle hunk shackled to the bed, wearing only speedos and a slave collar. Someone must have captured him and worked him over, judging by the whip across his chest, then left him here a helpless prisoner. The hot young jock is turned on and has to decide what to do to him. Yeah," Jamie grinned, "that sounds real hot. Let's take that one for a trial run."

Jamie abruptly turned away and left the shack, closing the door behind him. He ran down to the surf and plunged in, splashing joyfully, then body surfing as the waves rolled in. This was the happiest he had felt in a long time. Mark loved him – they were back together – and indulging their sexual fantasies.

That was something he loved about Mark. Most of the time he was the strict, by-the-book cop with all the power, but when they were alone he became the hot muscle-stud who loved to play sex games with Jamie. Their imaginations matched and he knew that right now Mark was pulling at his restraints, immersing himself in the fantasy Jamie had set up.

Jamie surfed into shore and raced up to the shack. He rattled the door as if forcing entry, then threw it open. Mark gasped at the homoerotic sight of the blond surfer in the doorway backlit by the sun. The young jock's chest heaved, catching his breath, and water streamed down his muscular body. His wet faded surfer trunks clung to him outlining the swelling cock under them.

"Holy shit," said the surfer, staring at the handsome musclehunk tied to the bed. "What have we got here?"

"Untie me, man. Get me out of here. I'm a cop."

"Hmm, I dunno about that, think I'll take my time. A cop eh? That makes it even better. Bet you throw your orders around, make guys obey you, don't you? Well not now, officer, `cos you're buck naked, tied naked to the bed, and you're at my mercy. Makes a change, uh? Shit, working over a gorgeous cop like you? Wasn't exactly on my agenda today but hey, when the opportunity arises."

Jamie went to the small fridge and pulled out one of the beers stored there, opened it and took a long gulp. Then he picked up the whip. "Looks like someone's been working you over good, officer." He idly flipped the rawhide braids over the cop's chest as he again struggled to get free. "Fucking gorgeous," Jamie murmured. "Maybe I should finish the job the guy started."

Jamie looked up and spotted something on the bedside table. "On the other hand, this gives me a better idea." He dropped the whip, put down the beer and picked up a jar of lube from the table. He unscrewed the top and smelled it. "Oh yeah, I recognize this. It's my bet this would be next for you on the guy's torture list when he came back – if he came back. Looks like I'm gonna have to do the job for him."

"Fuck you, man," the cop growled, but the surfer ignored him. He stood at the end of the bed, slowly unlaced his board shorts and let them drop to the floor. His long cock sprang up stiff as a rod, making the prisoner gasp, "Fuck ... fuck no," and pull even more frantically at his bound wrists. Jamie leaned forward, grabbed Mark's Speedos at his waist, yanked them down and tossed them aside. "Won't be needing these, big guy."

Mark's cock reared up rock hard and Jamie grinned. "Hey now there's a turn-up for the books, pardon the pun. Even looks as if you're actually into this, officer, tough cop like you." He slapped the rigid cock from side to side, then leaned down and lowered his mouth over the head, massaging the sensitive corona with pursed lips.

When he heard Mark gasp he pulled off and said, "Well, look at that – pre-cum. You really are into this, stud. But you ain't gonna bust your nuts yet, officer. I got other plans for that. Let's see here. He raised one of Mark's legs and dipped his fingers in the lube. He massaged his asshole with his greasy fingers, then pushed one, then three inside.

"Fuck you, boy," Mark growled and Jamie grinned, "Nah, fuck you, cop. Hot ass like that – only one thing to do with it. He pulled out his fingers and replaced them with his cock, pressing hard against the hole. Macho stud like you probably never felt a guy's dick in your ass. Well there's a first time for everything, officer. Enjoy."

"Aaagh!" The cop howled as the surfer's cock plunged into his ass, then pulled back and slammed in again. "Fuck you, boy. I'm gonna fucking kill you."

"I don't think so, man, with all the pre-cum oozing out of your dick. You know you like a young jock's prick in your ass, so relax and enjoy it, officer."

Jamie proceeded to fuck the cop's ass hard, his shaft like a piston ramrodding in deep and relentlessly. Mark protested but Jamie knew he was having a blast. Time to ramp up the pressure, he thought, so, pressing his shoulder against Mark's leg he leaned forward and worked on both his nipples, twisting them hard in his wet fingers.

"Aaaah," Mark groaned, reflexively tugging at the restraints round his wrists as the pain in his tits matched the pain in his ass. When Jamie thought he had had enough tit torture he grabbed the collar round his neck and pulled his head up off the bed.

Jamie gazed down in awe – this was Mark at his most spectacular. It was a pornographic sight – the handsome captive blond cop, his chiseled features twisted in pain, head thrashing from side to side, shoulders and biceps bulging as he pulled frantically at his restraints, a prisoner, totally at the mercy of the macho young jock pulling him up by the leather collar round his neck and pile-driving his ass with his cock.

The cop's torment went on and on relentlessly but finally the homoerotic sight was too much for Jamie and he had to cum. He knew from the look in Mark's eyes that he was close too, but he said, "Don't you cum, man. Don't you dare bust that load or I'll thrash you with that bullwhip over there. OK, officer, tell me. You wanna feel my jizz in your ass, don't you? Don't you?"

"OK, OK, yeah. I wanna feel it. Fuck me, boy ... fuck me ... shoot that load in my ass."

Hearing the naked bound police officer pleading to get fucked pushed Jamie over the edge and with a shout that bounced off the walls his cock exploded in the captive's ass. He stared down at the rugged cop, filling his ass with semen, then pulled out, held his cock and poured the last of his juice over the writhing muscular body.

Finally he took his hand off the collar and let the handsome, grimacing face fall back on the bed. "I'm not finished with you yet, big guy." Jamie lowered Mark's leg, then reached down and wrapped one hand round the cop's bulging balls. He scooped up the jizz from his chest with the other hand and rubbed it lightly over the shuddering head of Mark's cock.

The sensation was instantly exquisite and unbearable at the same time as Jamie squeezed his balls and tormented his cock, bringing the suffering cop to the crest of orgasm again and again, denying him his climax each time. "Fuck, man, you're torturing my fucking dick, busting my balls. Make me cum, man, let me shoot, please, it's killing me. Shit, I can't take this ... let me cum, please, sir, I'm begging you."

Jamie smiled triumphantly, then stood on the bed astride the writhing man. He turned round so Mark got a perfect view of his ass high above him. The sight of that perfect ass drove him wild and he pulled desperately at his restraints. Jamie reached behind him and ran his hands over the white globes, then flexed them hard. "No," Mark groaned, "I can't take anymore. I gotta cum ... please man, stop torturing me like this."

Jamie turned round to face him and sank to his knees, straddling Mark's waist. "I'll make you cum on one condition. You're a hot man, especially tied up, and I want to keep you my prisoner. So if I make you cum now you're gonna have to live with me and love me and fuck me and take my dick in your ass forever. Agreed?"

"Yeah, oh yeah. I want that so bad. God, I want you so bad."

"Good," Jamie smiled. "OK, this shouldn't take long." He positioned himself so Mark's cock slid between his tight buns and pressed against his ass. "Forever, right?"

"Yeah, forever."

Jamie lowered his hips and sank down on Mark's cock until it came to rest deep inside him. He reached forward and unbuckled the restraints, and Mark reached up and ran his fingers over the surfer's flexing pecs, then the ridges of his washboard abs. "Like I said," Jamie grinned, "this shouldn't take long." He rose up on his haunches and rode the long thick cock.

Mark's eyes welled with tears as he stared up at his boy, the beautiful young jock who had led him though this incredible fantasy. "Jamie, I love you ... I love you, and yeah, it's forever. God that looks good, you riding my dick. It's never felt so good. Oh fuck ... I'm gonna cum ... I'm gonna cum ... fuck ... fuck ... aaagh!" His cock exploded in Jamie's ass and Jamie sat down hard so he could feel the cop's jizz pumping deep inside him.

And that's how they stayed for long minutes, not wanting to break the spell.

"That was so fucking hot, man," Mark said at last, his eyes shining. "Damn, it's such a trip to play with you and your imagination, your beautiful body, your big cock, sexy ass and ... all of you, dammit. Did I tell you I love you, buddy?"

"I seem to recall that you did, sir," Jamie grinned. "And I will never forget the way you looked on that bed. Like straight out of a porn movie, a cop tied up butt naked getting whipped and fucked by a horny surfer jock. Whenever I'm alone on the office feeling sexy I'll jerk off thinking about it. Only thing missing was Darius and his camera to make it one for the archives.

"OK, dude," Mark said, "let's clean off in the water and head back up the beach."

"Should we tidy up the shack?"

"Nah, Zack will love it like this, with all the sexual vibrations, especially after we tell him and Darius the saga of the cop and the surfer. Come on stud, let's go."

Mark pulled on his Speedos, Jamie his board shorts and as they left the shack Jamie looked back at the bed one last time to fix the wild scene in his mind for future jerk-offs. Then Mark locked the door behind them, put the key back on the shelf under the porch and they raced down to the water and launched themselves in.

Full of high spirits, stoked by the erotic fantasies they had just played out, they wrestled, rough housed, grabbed, squeezed and kissed before finally setting off at a steady jog for home. Jamie looked over at Mark and grinned, "Do you know, sir, you're still wearing that collar? Are you always gonna wear it from now on? Did it turn you on so much?"

Mark roared with laughter. "Buddy, if I wore it with my cop uniform it might detract from my authority, don't you think? But I think we'll keep it. And next time it'll be round your neck, boy. Something I can't wait to see. And when I come home from work and you're waiting for me on the bed naked you'll be wearing it – my own macho young slaveboy waiting to get ploughed."

"Whatever you say, officer."

When they got back to the shack Mark took the collar off and hung it round the bedpost as a reminder of their past sex games and a promise of pleasures to come.

For the next two days they were in heaven, relaxing together in the dunes and on the beach, making love, working out, and making love again. Jamie's former stress faded and became a thing of the past, soothed by the reaffirmation of their love and purged entirely by the wild scenes in the shack down the beach.

Next morning they were woken by Mark's cell phone and he answered it drowsily. "Yeah, sure ... no, I'm awake, just ... yeah, that's fine, no problem. OK, man, see you in a couple hours." He put his arm back around Jamie.

"Hassan and Eddie are already on the road, should be here in about two hours. The plan is for Hassan to drop off Eddie here, then go on to the Vandenberg Base where he's due at noon. Seems after their meetings there's gonna be a demonstration night shoot of a recruitment video Hassan has created, so he'll be staying the night there, then joining Eddie and us here tomorrow. Sound OK to you, buddy? You don't mind us having company?"

"Sounds fine," Jamie smiled. "It'll be fun having Eddie here – Eddie and his motor mouth and his punk sense of humor. And I'll make sure you have time alone with Hassan `cause I know how you and he like to ... well, you know. Besides, the cop and the Marine always look so hot together – blond police officer versus Arab/Asian Marine captain, a homoerotic fantasy."

Mark chuckled, "I would think you've had enough fantasy after yesterday, dude. Speaking of which, I guess it's time for this." Mark pulled the black leather collar off the bedpost and buckled it round Jamie's neck. "Now that's what you call homoerotic. Adds a little spice to morning sex, don't ya think? Jamie raised his legs, offering his ass and Mark butt-fucked him, pulling on the collar and raising his head off the bed as Jamie had done to him the day before.

Then they both pulled on board shorts, ran down to the water and dived into the waves for a brief but intense swim contest. They staggered out of the surf panting with laughter, then cooked some food and had a leisurely breakfast on the porch. They had just started clearing it away when they heard the sound of Hassan's jeep pulling up in back of the shack. They walked round in time to see Eddie tumbling out of the jeep – talking, of course.

"Guys, you look incredible in those shorts, like guys in a physique contest. I've often wondered why guys in those contests always wear board shorts. I mean, didn't they used to wear those little posing thingies? The shorts show off their butts but don't do much for their bulges. I would have thought that jock straps or something like that would ..."

Jamie cleared his throat loudly, a sure sign for Eddie to stop talking. "Oh, sorry, dude," Eddie said, pursing his lips dramatically.

"Eddie," Mark smiled indulgently, "aren't you going to introduce your friend to us?"

"Oh sure, sir." Eddie's eyes sparkled. "This here is Marine Captain Hassan – and I'm his boy."

From the other side of the jeep Hassan appeared, looking spectacular in his Marine dress uniform of black jacket with a white belt, blue pants, and wearing a white cap with a black peak. The formal uniform could not hide the Arab's muscular physique, nor the low peak hide his exotic almond shaped eyes set in his olive-skinned chiseled features.

He stared at Mark's gleaming body, clad in just board shorts that hugged his tight waist. As their eyes met Mark held out his hand ..."Captain." Hassan gripped it hard ..."Officer."

Jamie and Eddie stared mesmerized at the two musclehunks, one in full uniform, the other shirtless in shorts. It was certain that they both had massive hard-ons, though it was hard to tell under Hassan's uniform pants and, as Eddie had rightly said, board shorts that don't do much for a guy's bulge either.

"You got time for a drink before you head out, Hassan?" Mark asked, but Hassan shook his head. "Sorry, man, gotta be there in half an hour. Damn frustrating, though. I'd love to stay and take care of this hard-on. Driving a jeep for three hours makes you real horny, especially with a hot young dude next to you like this guy here."

Mark chuckled, "You should have pulled off the road halfway here and got your rocks off like Jamie and I do – you could have fucked Eddie behind the jeep."

"Damn straight," Hassan grinned, "but I couldn't risk messing up this damn uniform. Had to wear it for today's meetings – lot of brass there today."

"I could take care of that easy right now, sir," Eddie said eagerly.

Hassan stroked his crotch as he looked at his boy. "You could? It would have to be quick – and no jizz on the pants."

"Sir," Eddie protested indignantly, when have you ever known me spill a drop when I swallow your cum?" Hassan smiled and Eddie dropped to his knees in the sand before his master. He pulled down the zip of the blue pants, reached inside and pulled out the soldier's huge cock. He leaned forward, licked the head, then smoothly took the whole length of the shaft in his mouth.

Eddie was acknowledged to be the champion cocksucker of the tribe, with a technique he had honed to perfection when he used to work as bar-back in Mike's leather bar in the desert, on his knees in the back room. Ever since he became Hassan's boy the Marine had benefitted from Eddie's skill several times a day. Even so, the soldier was always amazed by what the boy could do to a man's cock and now was no exception.

Mark and Jamie looked on with amusement as Eddie went to work, and the handsome captain groaned in ecstasy. Eddie applied a varied technique of teasing, squeezing, then releasing and breathing hot breath on the shaft before pursing his lips and pulling back on it. Hassan threw his head back moaning with pleasure. He took his cap off and held it in one hand while the other hand clamped on the back of the boy's head and pulled it forward on his cock.

The sight of the tall, powerful Marine captain in uniform being serviced by his kneeling boy was a huge turn-on for the two spectators who were both rubbing the bulges in their shorts. Mark grinned at Jamie and murmured quietly, "Phew, speaking of fantasies, eh buddy?"

Eddie could feel that the soldier was getting close so he pulled his own cock out of his shorts and stroked it while he closed in for the kill. His formerly careful, measured technique now gave way to a full on blow job – fast and deep, and soon Hassan was moaning, "Holy shit, that's ... I'm gonna cum ... fuck, I'm gonna bust my ... aaah!" His cock exploded in the boy's mouth and Eddie gulped it down, every last drop as he beat his own meat and spurted juice – all over one of the Marine's shiny black boots.

He pulled his mouth off the cock and stared down at the boot in horror. "Oh, sir, I'm sorry. I got jizz on your boot. Don't panic, sir" (though it was Eddie doing the panicking) "I'll clean it up." He bent down and licked furiously, slurping up every drop of cum from the boot. Then he pulled off his T-shirt and rubbed the boot, repeatedly breathing on it and rubbing it hard until it shone so he could see his face in it.

Mark had exchange smiles with Hassan as they watched the boy work feverishly, a sexy sight that turned on Mark and Jamie even more. They pulled their cocks out of their shorts and Mark said, "Hey soldier, cold we borrow you boy for a minute?"

"Knock yourselves out guys." Hassan stepped back and pushed his cock back in his pants while Eddie looked up at the cop and the surfer towering over him. He watched wide-eyed as they pounded their cocks and shut his eyes just in time as warm juice splashed on his face and dripped down onto his chest.

Then Eddie heard his master's deep commanding voice behind him. "Stand up, boy, and give me your shirt." Eddie obeyed and Hassan used the shirt to wipe the cum off his boy's face and chest. Then he leaned forward and kissed him.

"You did great, kiddo, I'm proud of you. Now you be a good boy and don't give these guys any trouble. Try to curb your mouth too. I'll be back for you tomorrow and, after spending all that time with a bunch of Marines, I'll be horny as hell so I'm gonna want your ass, is that clear?"

"Aye-aye, sir," Eddie grinned with a cocky salute.

"And this," Hassan said, holding up the cum-soaked T-shirt, "I'll hang onto. It'll come in useful when I'm in bed tonight jerking off. OK, guys, I'm off. How do I look?" He put his cap back on and stood at attention.

"Fucking flawless, man," Mark said admiringly. "Good enough to eat."

"Yeah," Hassan smiled, "later, dude."

He jumped in his jeep and sped back up the sandy trail to the road, leaving three satisfied men gazing after him – a cop, a surfer, and a dazed, elated boy grinning from ear to ear.

Before going round to the front of the shack Jamie opened a shed and pulled out a surfboard, a bit smaller than his own. "I always keep this stashed here for guests, so this'll be yours, Eddie, while we're here and you're gonna get the surfing lessons you're always asking for."

"That is so cool, dude," Eddie beamed.

"But you are not ever to take the board out into the surf unless I'm with you, OK? We promised Hassan we'd take care of you."

"Aye-aye, sir," he grinned.

"Let me find you a pair of board shorts and then I'll teach you how to wax a board." The shorts were a size too big on Eddie, but as he beamed proudly in his baggy shorts Mark realized exactly why Hassan loved his boy so much.

A few minutes later Mark was lounging on the patio watching the board-waxing lesson proceed. He loved the way Jamie handled Eddie – kindly but firmly – and felt proud of his growing maturity and leadership qualities. Eddie obviously looked up to the senior boy, gazing at him admiringly and hanging on his every word.

Finally they made for the water with Jamie's stern caution, "Don't drag it through the sand, dude, pick it up like this."

Mark watched the lesson proceed in the distance, with many failed attempts by Eddie to stand on the board and his peals of laughter as he repeatedly splashed back down in the water. Mark felt a profound kind of contentment as he saw Jamie patiently coaxing Eddie, a senior boy nurturing a junior, and contrasted it with the enduring image of the hot young jock dominating him the day before and fucking the bound cop's ass.

After dozing a little Mark was wakened by distant shouts of triumph. Eddie was up on his board, wobbling unsteadily but managing to keep his balance, with Jamie shouting encouragement beside him, and when the waved carried them in Eddie made it a long way before toppling off. Mark noticed that Jamie, instead of riding the wave elegantly on to the sand as he usually did, jumped off when Eddie fell off to avoid showing him up and making him feel bad.

As they carried their boards up toward the shack Mark clapped slowly and said, "Eddie you're a pro. You looked great out there. Hassan's gonna be so proud of you."

"Thank you, sir," said Eddie, his eyes sparkling.

"Listen guys, I'm starved," Mark said. "Let's walk into the village and have lunch in that cantina."

And so, half an hour later they were sitting at a table on the restaurant patio facing each other over piles of steaming fajitas. When Eddie's excitement about his surfing prowess wore off Mark and Jamie noticed that he wasn't his usual garrulous self. Usually he was rattling away like a machine gun, careening from subject to subject, but now he looked down at his plate, seemingly lost in thought.

At last he raised his head and surprised them with, "Sirs, do you think Hassan really loves me?"

"Whoa," Mark said, "didn't see that one coming. Why do you ask that, kiddo? Something on your mind?"

Eddie's brow puckered in concentration. "Well, sir, I've been thinking ..."

"Never a good sign," Jamie smiled.

"No seriously, dude. I mean like, most of the boys are a younger version of their masters. Look at you two. Jamie, over the years you've got a bunch of the same qualities as Mark ... you know, cool, strong, self-confident. And the same goes for the other boys – Darius is like Zack, Pablo copies Randy, the twins are calm and collected like Bob. Then there's the Aussies, and even Brandon is a lot like Pete even though he's in a wheelchair and all."

He paused, gathering his thoughts, and they let him talk. "But me and Hassan, there could never be two guys more different. I mean, that big tough Marine Captain and me just a kid who cleans houses, at least I always feel like a kid. Like, you saw us a while ago – him looking real macho in his uniform and me kneeling at his feet sucking his dick and licking his boot.

"I try to be butch like him, but I'm not much good at it. Sometimes I think maybe he just keeps me around `cos I give a great blowjob, and I'm scared that one day he'll go for a guy who's more macho, a younger version of him."

"Hey, hey, what kind of crazy talk is that, dude?" Jamie said. Jamie glanced at Mark who nodded, urging him to run with the ball. "Listen, Eddie," Jamie said, "all day at work Hassan is surrounded by guys trying to be like him – young Marines pretending to be tough young studs, with their fierce expressions, `being all they can be' as the ads say, Semper Fi and all that. That's fine for them, that's what they've chosen, but don't you think that Hassan gets tired of that? Hell, he's told us he does.

"And when he gets home, tired of all the fake macho he's been with all day, there you are, his boy, with your sexy grin and eagerness to please, and he throws his arms round you because he loves you and you're exactly what he wants. Sure, of course he wants you to suck his dick `cos he's so horny, but he gets a lot more from you than that. He loves hearing stories of your day – though I gotta say, dude, that you often talk too much. But even that he finds amusing."

"Yeah, but I'm still just a houseboy."

"No you're not. I know Hassan has encouraged you in the house management company you're forming with the boys and it's going great. When you and I do the job interviews you ask the applicants some really great questions. Those guys look up to you as their prospective boss."

Eddie gazed at Jamie. "You really think so? Gee, thanks for saying all that, dude."

"And it's all true, Eddie," Mark said gently. "Look, Hassan and I go back a long way and I'm probably his closest friend in the tribe, so I know him real well. You gotta remember, he's the strong silent type, a Marine's Marine, a man of few words who doesn't show his feelings much, even to you. I know what I'm talking about `cos cops are kind of the same. I haven't told Jamie often enough how much I love him, but I'm working on that," he smiled at Jamie.

"So maybe Hassan don't tell you, but you should hear the way he talks about you ... all the time. He's crazy about you, and proud of the way you're taking on the challenge of that new company. I'm sure that right now, in those boring meetings, he keeps flashing on you and your mouth round his cock and he's got a boner under the table.

"Hell, he kept your cum-soaked shirt, didn't he? And you know tonight he's gonna press it to that handsome kisser of his while he beats his meat thinking about you."

"Yeah," Eddie grinned, "he said he would do that. Guys, you are the best ... the best pals a guy could have. And I'm so glad you made up after all that stupid stuff you went through."

"So are we, kiddo. Believe me, most of the bad stuff guys go through ends up being stupid stuff as you call it. Hey, I bet that when Hassan gets back here tomorrow and he can relax and forget all that macho Marine stuff, he'll show you just how much he wants you – just like he did when he first sized you up and asked you to be his boy."

"You think so, sir?'

"I'm sure of it, kiddo." And Mark exchanged a quick conspiratorial smile with Jamie.

The rest of the day went swimmingly – literally, with more surfing lessons, rough-housing in the waves and runs through the shallow surf. Mark and Jamie kept a slower pace for Eddie's benefit so he could keep up. They went shopping for food in the village, where Eddie took the lead as he insisted on cooking dinner in the shack, "'cos I've been taking lessons from the twins and I'm getting pretty good."

When he finally served it up the verdict from Jamie was, "Not bad at all, kiddo. Delicious in fact." And from Mark, "Hey, maybe we should make Eddie the designated chef for the rest of our stay here." Eddie glowed with the pleasure of giving the guys pleasure.

One constant feature of their time together – by turns amusing and irritating – was Eddie's non-stop chatter, a seamless stream of consciousness so familiar to the tribe, which some described as no-thought-unexpressed' and others, more concisely and colorfully, as verbal diarrhea'. Gentle reminders from Jamie were observed by Eddie for a few minutes, until a fresh thought hit him and he was once again off to the races.

In bed that night Mark and Jamie got some temporary relief as they plugged his mouth in turn with their cocks. And a blessed silence descended when Eddie, all talked out at last, fell asleep between them with a blissful smile on his face.

In the morning it was their sense of smell that woke Mark and Jamie as the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee wafted over them. Eddie had got up early to demonstrate his kitchen skills again. "No hurry, sirs," he said. "Breakfast will be in a few minutes. In the meantime, do what you would usually do."

There was an impish edge to his voice and it was clear what he was referring to. While the two men went through their usual erotic routine of morning sex Eddie watched, drooling and stroking his cock. And when they had finished and lay back on the bed Eddie gasped, "Oops, can't hold back sirs," and spurted cum all over them. "Sorry, sirs, but you looked so hot I couldn't help it. Problem I always have, cumming too much. You know Hassan calls me his little gusher and it's true. I think I can cum more often than ..."

"Eddie," Jamie interrupted. "Cumming too much is not your only problem. Talking too much is right up there with it."

"Er, how's breakfast coming along, kiddo?" Mark asked.

"Oh, sorry, sir. Yeah, I'm right on it. As soon as I've washed my hands. Hygiene first eh?"

After breakfast Eddie insisted on doing the dishes, making the bed and tidying the shack. "Cleaning house is what I do best, sir ... well I guess cock-sucking and busting my load would prob'ly come first. See, I'm what they call multi-talented and ...

"Er, Eddie we'll take our coffee out to the porch while you finish up in here," Mark said.

They sighed as they sank onto the porch chairs, grinning at each other helplessly. Then Mark's cellphone rang. It was Hassan, saying that he was almost done with the video shoot at the base and would be with them in an hour or so. "I'm glad you called, buddy, `cos I wanted to talk to you about Eddie. He kind of unloaded his insecurities on us yesterday, and Jamie and I thought of a way we could help. Let me explain."

As Mark told him of their conversation with Eddie over lunch yesterday and then explained his idea, he heard Hassan chuckle in agreement. Mark asked, "What are you wearing, buddy?"

"Hey," Hassan teased, "is this gonna be one of those dirty phone calls? Actually I'm still wearing all that combat gear from the video shoot, but I was gonna change now."

"Don't," Mark said. "It'll fit our plan perfectly."

When Eddie finally joined them on the porch all the thoughts that had crowded his mind while working alone now came spilling out. His talk batteries were obviously fully recharged.

"Sir, I keep meaning to ask you about that old door frame standing all alone on the beach over there. Is that where all that bondage and stuff goes on. There's crazy rumors among the boys about how a guy can be tied up there at the mercy of all the other guys. Is that true, sir? `Cos I don't see how you would ..."

"Eddie ... Eddie, stop." Jamie grinned. "Obviously we're not gonna get a word in sideways long enough to explain, so you want a demonstration?"

The boy's eyes sparkled. "You mean get tied up by a cop and a surfer stud? Wow."

"Come on, kid, let's go," Mark growled. He pushed Eddie off the porch and over to the weathered door frame, all that was left of an old shed that had long since succumbed to winter storms. Jamie brought ropes and leather wrist restraints out from the shack and while Mark held Eddie in place in the frame Jamie tied his wrists up to the top corners. As they stood back and surveyed their work Eddie struggled, his body stretched, spread-eagled in the frame.

"Wow, this feels awesome, dudes. Could be real scary if you didn't know the guys. Course I feel safe with you guys cos I trust you and you promised Hassan you'd take care of me. Huh, maybe this is what you meant, though. Hassan always told me I should never trust a stranger and I remember once a long time ago when Randy had to rescue me from this thug, built like a brick shithouse he was, and he ..."

"Eddie ... zip it," Jamie yelled. "You know, this is all about the fantasy but there's no fantasy when the prisoner is gabbing away like he's chatting over afternoon tea. Mark, what are we gonna do to him?"

"Easy," Mark growled, with a trace of a smile. All three of them were wearing board shorts like yesterday, Mark and Jamie shirtless, Eddie in an old T-shirt – which is what Mark targeted now. He quickly ripped it clear off the boy, twisted it into a rope and said. "Sorry about this, boy. It's the only way." He jammed the shirt in his mouth and tied it behind the back of his neck.

Eddie's eyes opened wide and he tried to speak but, to the relief of the onlookers, no words came out, only a muffled protest through the gag. "Aaah," Mark said, "silence at last. Let's go finish our coffee."

Eddie watched them walk back up on the porch, feeling nervous, frustrated and excited. It was the latter than won out as Eddie plugged into the fantasy of a boy bound and gagged on a deserted beach by two beautiful men who right now were paying no attention to him at all.

And it was then that he heard a vehicle approaching and stopping behind the shack. A door slammed and round the shack came the Marine. Eddie gasped through his gag at the sight of Hassan in combat gear, straight from the video shoot – in camouflage fatigue pants, combat boots, a khaki tank under a sleeveless denim shirt. His rugged face still bore black camouflage stripes and mirror sunglasses shielded his eyes.

Eddie thought that if the video Hassan had just made had been a porn movie instead of a recruitment video, he would still have looked just like this – a homoerotic icon. Eddie tried to yell through his gag but only a stifled murmur came out and the soldier ignored him completely as he greeted his buddies on the porch.

Eddie watched in growing confusion as the men sat chatting and laughing together, frustrated that he couldn't catch their words. What was going on? Had he done something to displease Hassan? Maybe his worst fears were coming true and the soldier was losing interest in him.

Suddenly the three men stood up and sauntered onto the beach, coming closer until he could hear what they were saying. "Hey, guys," the Marine said, "what the hell you got here?"

"Aah," Mark said dismissively, "just some kid who showed up on the beach. He's kinda cute but we couldn't stop him talking so we had to gag him and tie him up."

Hassan paced in front of the prisoner, sizing him up. "Hmm, not bad. Matter of fact, buddy, I'm looking for a new boy." Eddie felt a stab of panic hearing the words he had dreaded, but the fear lessened as Hassan continued, "This one's not half bad."

"Well," Mark shrugged, "it all depends what you're looking for in a boy."

"Well, he has to look good, of course, and this one fits the bill ...nice firm gym body, handsome young face. Let's see here. He came forward and squeezed Eddie's nipples hard, making him groan into his gag and pull against his restraints, his body struggling, muscles rippling. "Oh yeah, that looks real good. That's the kinda stuff turns me on, tying a guy up, working him over and watching him suffer."

"Maybe so," Mark frowned, "but you could do much better than this kid on the base. All those tough young Marines worshiping their captain, you could take your pick."

"Nah, I'm sick to the back teeth of those guys with their phony macho, all strutting around proving how tough they are, never cracking a smile cos it would spoil the he-man image. No, what I want is a fresh, honest kid who I can mold the way I want, teach him, take care of him. And in return he'd have to take care of me – all my needs, and I mean all of them. Course, that means he'd have to pretty much idolize me, but this kid's probably not into military men."

Eddie struggled again and tried to shout though his gag. Mark came forward and said, "Well, one easy way to check that out, captain." He unlaced Eddie's board shorts and let them drop. Eddie's cock sprang out rock hard and Mark said, "Whoa, I guess that answers that question."

"Yeah, but any kid of mine must really get off on me – I mean more than just a stiff dick. Let's see what you're made of, kid." Hassan took off his glasses, then shrugged off the denim shirt. He paced back and forth, body gleaming in the hot sun – broad shoulders, bulging biceps, his chest etched under the tank now wet with sweat. Eddie's heart beat wildly as he saw Hassan reach behind his neck and slowly pull up on the tank, exposing his eight-pack abs and pecs.

The Marine pulled the shirt off over his head, tossed it aside and stood shirtless before the boy, flexing the muscles of his spectacular physique. Eddie gazed enthralled at the rugged Marine captain, stripped to the waist. He pulled against the ropes binding him, shuddered, groaned loudly into his gag ... and a plume of cum spurted from his cock and fell at the soldier's feet.

"Man, this kid really goes for you," Mark said. "Looks like he's yours for the plucking."

"Yeah, but how good is he in bed? I mean, my tastes ain't exactly vanilla and I've got this massive dick. Question is, can he take it up his ass?" He walked forward and untied Eddie's gag. "I'm told you can't keep your mouth shut, kid, so don't dare say a word until I say you can. Now, I wanna find out if you can service me good, kid, so I'm gonna untie you."

Hassan released his arms and said, "On your knees, boy." Eddie obeyed, so overwhelmed by the erotic scene and the soldier's power that he really felt like he was auditioning to become his boy. The captain opened his combat pants, pulled out his huge cock and slapped it lightly across Eddie's face a few times. "OK, boy, make it hard."

Eddie reacted with confidence to the demand – it was his specialty – and he took the entire length of the captain's cock down his throat, squeezing it hard with his throat muscles, making Hassan groan, "Shit damn ... holy fuck ..." It took Eddie only seconds working on the cock before it was rock hard and shuddering in his mouth. Hassan pulled out and said, "Hey, you guys, you got a blanket or something?"

Jamie ran into the shack and brought out a big blanket that he spread over the sand. "On your back, boy," Hassan growled and Eddie fell on his back on the blanket, grabbed his legs behind the knees and pulled them up, offering his ass to the Marine captain. Hassan leaned over him, pressed his cock against his ass and Eddie stared up into the exotic slanted dark eyes. "Only spit, no lube. You think you can take it?"

"Yes, sir ... definitely, sir."

"Good." Eddie didn't flinch once as the massive rod sank into his ass, then pulled back and pushed in again. "Oh yeah, nice tight ass, a perfect fit. I think you'll do, boy. You'll do real well." As he fucked the boy's ass the soldier said, "But it'll be a lot of work, kid. You gotta obey me always, never lie to me. And I'll make a lot of sexual demands. I'll fuck your ass whenever I want to, and when I come home I'm always horny so you gotta be there to suck my dick and get me off, can you do that?"

"Yes, sir ... definitely, sir."

"OK, one last test. I'm real close to cumming in your ass, so I gotta know how bad you want to be my boy. I know you just shot a big load, but if you wanna be my boy you gotta do it again – without touching your cock. If you can do that I'll cum inside you and you'll be my boy forever." Hassan increased the speed and force of his fuck until his rod was pistoning in the boy's ass.

Eddie reached up and clamped his hands over the soldier's chest, digging his fingers into his pecs, and tears came to his eyes as he said, "I love you, sir" ... and his cock spurted cum up so high that it splashed on Hassan's chest as the captain yelled, "Yeah, fuck yeah ..." and poured a massive load into his boy's ass.

With his cock stilled buried in Eddie's ass Hassan pinned his wrists to the ground and stared into his eyes. "Eddie, I love you, kiddo, and I never want to hear any more of this bullshit about you not being good enough for me. This little charade should convince you once and for all that I love you ... you are my boy and always will be. I want to take care of you, teach you, and watch you grow and mature into the man I know you can be. How's that sound?"

"Like a big chunk of heaven, sir."

"Oh, and one more thing. Try to curb that mouth of yours."

"Amen to that," Jamie said, standing over them.

"I can keep quiet when I want to," Eddie protested. "Only thing is that whenever ..."

Hassan pressed a finger across Eddie's lips. "Ssshh!"

Hassan changed into board shorts like the others and after a boisterous romp in the surf they adjourned to the porch to relax over beers. "Ain't this the life, guys?" Mark said. "Great place, all to ourselves, great company and the rest of the week together to do whatever we want."

Their minds went in all sorts of directions. Jamie was thrilled that he and Mark had sorted out their issues, with the help of a wild sexual fantasy that had brought them closer than ever. Eddie, too, had lived through a fantasy of his own with Hassan, who had re-enacted with him that life-changing day when he had first asked Eddie to be his boy.

And Mark and Hassan? There was a kind of electrical current running through them that went right back to the time they had first met on opposite sides of a faraway war, in a harrowing scene where the Arab solder had brutally interrogated the captive American lieutenant. In the crucible of war the two enemy soldiers had inexplicably fallen in love. In the years since then they had replayed that scene, where the roles were reversed and Hassan did penance for what he had subjected Mark to in that bleak desert dungeon.

It was a far cry from that to the sunny California beach they were on now, but Hassan was gazing at the doorframe where Eddie had been tied and Mark could read his thoughts. "You sure you wanna subject yourself to that again, buddy?"

"I have to, Mark. It's a sort of catharsis, a cleansing of the guilt I still feel for that distant past."

Jamie and Eddie glanced at each other both with the same thought – `as long as we can watch'.

"Oh, and by the way," Mark added, more cheerfully, "I had a call from Mike in Palm Springs. Seems Pablo's taking his boy Tyler out there this weekend to stay with Uncle Mike and his boy Larry. Mike wondered if we four would like to join them."

"Hell, I enjoy old Mike a lot," Hassan said, and I haven't been out there in a while."

"I'd love to see my old buddy Larry again," Jamie grinned. "We go back a long way."

"And though I say it myself," Eddie said eagerly, "I was Tyler's best bud when he first dropped in on the tribe, and still am, but we haven't been keeping up like we should."

"Well," Mark chuckled, "looks like everyone's in favor of spending our last weekend out there."

A contemplative stillness settled on the group, all four of them gazing silently at the weather-beaten door frame, each with his own vision of the scene that might be enacted there next between the cop and the Marine captain.

TO BE CONTINUED in "A Trial Of Strength" – Part 396

Hey guys, this is Rob Williams. I hope that chapter got you off, and I welcome your comments and suggestions, which can be very helpful in planning future chapters. E-mail me in confidence at rw6789@aol.com.

ALSO, I invite you to visit my own Web-site www.atrialofstrength.com. You can read the whole story, with extras, including pictures and biographies of all the characters. Click on the green `Chapter Synopses' button to browse all the chapter descriptions. Enjoy

AND DON'T FORGET – if you enjoy these stories PLEASE DONATE to the Nifty site. Nifty needs your donations to provide these thousands of wonderful stories. So please go to http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html and give what you can. The other authors and I thank you. ... Rob